The Dragon and The Firefly
by kurounue13
Summary: Mingzhu is Zuko's childhood friend, and his childhood sweetheart. This is her story.  based off of Zuko from the Movie. but more so combined with the TV Show  Rated M for future chapters.


Zuko Love story, based off of the 2010 movie. I am not a big Fan of M. Night Shymalan but I actually liked the Last Airbender Movie. I loved who they had to play Zuko so please bear with me if you did not like the movie. It's Zuko, what's not to love. Please give it a chance.

Disclaimer: I own only the original characters.

The Dragon

And

The Firefly

Introduction:

General Iroh was returning home from Ba Sing Se, still grief stricken from the loss of his son. He and the troops returning with him were now traveling to the fire nation capital on foot. Iroh sighed sadly, "Let us stop here for a while." He said politely, the men went and found a place for Iroh to rest.

He walked into the clearing and found a house burnt to the ground. He gasped at the sight of a small child laying not a hundred feet before him. "Captain!" he shouted as he ran to the child, she was covered in bruises and cuts. "General," the Captain said in a fear stricken voice, "look." Iroh looked inside the house and saw to burned bodies.

"Men search the area; we must find who did this."

But the captain was cut off by some cruel laughter in the distance, "That way go!"

Iroh held the child in his arms, still clutching her burned doll in her hands. He removed his cloak and wrapped her up in it to keep her warm. He heard a soft moan as she began to open her eyes, she looked at him. "Little one are you alright?"

"Papa…" was all she said before she fell unconscious once again.

Mingzhu opened her eyes and found herself in a very large bed with crimson sheets. She had been cleaned and dressed in a soft night gown. "You are awake," she heard a soft voice. She turned to look and gasped as her eyes fell upon the Lady Ursa. "Don't be sacred young one, you are safe."

Mingzhu tried to say something, but all that came out was a raspy screech like sound. "You should not try to speak just yet. You inhaled a lot of smoke; the hot air may have damaged your vocal cords temporarily." Ursa handed her a cup of tea, "Drink this, it will help."

Slowly she sipped the tea till it was finished. "Now let us get you dressed, Iroh is very worried about you." She looked at Lady Ursa with a puzzled look, "Oh he is the one who found you and brought you here." Mingzhu thought back, she remembered _little one are you alright?_ She remembered the man who had held her in his arms.

"Here you are," she said as she pulled out some cloths. (Think something like Yue's dress in the movie only in Fire nation standards.)

Ursa helped Mingzhu get dressed, and brushed her hair and everything. "What is your name my dear?" Ursa asked as she fixed up Mingzhu's hair "Mi…Min…Ming." She paused "Z..z…Zhu." Ursa smiled at her, "Mingzhu? That's a pretty name." She said as she took a hold of her hand as they walked out of the room. "How old are you Mingzhu?

"Seven."

The two walked out to the garden where Iroh sat watching his Nephew practice his bending and fighting skills. "Iroh," he looked over his shoulder and saw the little girl.

She had long black hair and beautiful dark eyes much like everyone in the fire nation. Her skin was tan as well but her face was that of a little angel. "Mingzhu, this is Iroh the man who saved you." Mingzhu couldn't stop herself; she ran up to Iroh and hugged him so tight.

Iroh smiled at the little girl and gently stroked her very long black hair. "Thank you," she said in a small and raspy voice. "Who is that?" Mingzhu heard another girl's voice, and she could already tell that she wasn't a nice person. She tensed up in Iroh's arms as the girl came closer. "Azula do not be rude."

"Azula" stopped just a few feet in front of Iroh and Mingzhu. She pulled Mingzhu by the collar away from Iroh so she could look at her. But before Azula could, Iroh gasped as he saw Mingzhu's eyes turn black.

Azula screamed as a massive wave of White hot flames came at her. Zuko watched in awe at the girl who wielded the white hot flames. Her black eyes stared Azula down, "Don't…touch me." Azula ran away from Mingzhu but not before stopping to see her father. "Father did you see what she did?" She asked outraged at what had transpired. But her father held a different tone, "Yes, truly magnificent, a mere child who can wield such a powerful flame."

Azula could not believe what she had heard; she groaned loudly in frustration and ran away to her room.

Iroh watched as the flames dissipated and Mingzhu's eyes changed back to normal. She fell to her knees, but Iroh caught her before she fell to the ground. Zuko ran over to see if she was alright, "Thank was amazing." He whispered, but she heard him. "Mingzhu are you alright?" She nodded as she held onto Iroh.

"Let's get you inside." He said as he picked her up in his arms and carried her back inside. Zuko followed his uncle inside the palace; he too wanted to make sure that Mingzhu was okay as well.

That night, Mingzhu couldn't sleep so she wandered out to the garden. She sat in front of the little pond where the Turtle Ducks swam. She didn't realize that Zuko was there as well.

"You know that was pretty amazing what you did to my sister." She gasped and stood in a fighting stance, "Hey it's okay!" She recognized the boy from earlier, "Oh…hi."

He smiled at her, "Hi, I'm Zuko." She bowed slightly, "Mingzhu." He scratched his head, "Mingzhu is kind of long. Can I just call you Ming?" She blushed and nodded, but gasped when she saw dozens of fireflies come out.

Zuko watched her as she looked at all of the Fireflies, "Haven't you ever seen a Firefly before?" She shook her head still in awe. One came and sat upon her hand, she blushed when Zuko wrapped his hands gently around hers, keeping the firefly in its place. She looked over her shoulder to see him standing behind her. Carefully he opened his hands so they could see the firefly. "Wow," Zuko nodded as they let the firefly fly away to join the rest.

"Zuko, Mingzhu" They looked up as Ursa came into view. "Come on you two its way past bedtime." Zuko took Mingzhu's hand in his "Come on Firefly." She blushed at the name, but smiled, "Okay…Dragon." She said as she ran ahead of him laughing, "Me…a Dragon?" He was the one blushing now, but he shrugged.

"Dragons are cool."

Mingzhu said with a smile, and Zuko smiled in return as he took her hand.

"So are Fireflies."


End file.
